The Benefits of Sponsoring a Business Event

No matter what business or industry you are in, having a robust marketing strategy needs to be high on your list of priorities. There are, of course, many aspects and elements of marketing but one strategy often overlooked, is how business event sponsorship can create huge brand exposure with a targeted audience and lead to uncapped networking opportunities and referrals.

Event sponsorship can offer businesses a fantastic opportunity to increase their credibility and align them with highly successful business leaders and keynote speakers who are part of the event they choose to sponsor.

What is event sponsorship?

Business event sponsorship is a mutually beneficial relationship between a business and an event organiser. Usually, in exchange for financial or other kinds of support, the sponsor receives exposure to the event’s audience and other benefits, such as branding opportunities, speaking spots and networking opportunities.

Business and corporate events can include conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, seminars, workshops and networking functions. Sponsoring these events provides businesses with a platform to showcase their products, services and expertise, generate leads and build relationships with potential customers and partners.

In general terms, a business can sponsor an event in several ways. Some of the most common include:

• Financial sponsorship: This is the simplest type of sponsorship, in which the sponsor provides a financial contribution to be featured at the event.
• In-kind sponsorship: This involves the provision of goods or services to the event, such as catering, transportation or venue space.
• Exclusive sponsorship: This type of sponsorship gives the sponsor exclusive rights to a certain aspect of the event, such as being the sole sponsor of a particular session or activity.
• Media sponsorship: This may involve collaborative promotion of the event through the sponsor’s media channels, such as their website, social media and email newsletter.

All of these sponsorship opportunities, of course, depend on the type of event and it will always be a two-way street.  As previously stated, sponsorship involves both the sponsor and the organiser working together for mutual benefit.

To ensure maximum benefit for the sponsors, event organisers look for businesses that are aligned with the event’s target audience and ensure that any sponsor’s offer will be relevant to attendees. Sponsors should also be willing to work closely with the event organiser to ensure that their sponsorship is successful.

Gain a Competitive Advantage through Event Sponsorship

The benefits of sponsoring a business or corporate event are many and varied. It’s worth considering your expectations when deciding to sponsor an event.  Some of the benefits include:

• Brand Visibility: Sponsoring an event provides an opportunity to prominently display your company’s logo, name, and branding, not only at the event itself, but in the lead up to the event on the organiser’s social media and general marketing, increasing your brand’s visibility among a relevant audience.
• Targeted Exposure: Networking events often bring together professionals and industry experts who are likely to have an interest in your products or services. This allows for targeted exposure to potential customers or partners.
• Networking Opportunities: Sponsors often have better access to networking opportunities within the event, with attendees, speakers and other sponsors. This can lead to valuable connections and partnerships.
• Thought Leadership: By sponsoring events, companies can position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. Presenting or participating in panel discussions can help establish your brand as an authority in your field.
• Lead Generation: Networking events can be excellent places to generate leads and potential customers. Sponsors can collect contact information or engage in conversations with attendees who express interest in their offerings. You may be able to negotiate with the organiser to get access to the event’s attendee database.
• Enhanced Reputation: Associating your brand with a well-organised and respected networking event can boost your company’s reputation and credibility.
• Product or Service Demonstrations: Depending on the event format, sponsors may have the opportunity to showcase their products or services to a captive audience.
• Market Research: Events can serve as a platform to gather feedback and insights from attendees about industry trends, customer preferences and more.
• Content and Collateral Distribution: Sponsors can sometimes negotiate to distribute promotional materials, brochures or samples to event attendees, increasing the chances of potential customers engaging with your brand.
• Community Engagement: Supporting local or industry-specific networking events demonstrates your commitment to the community and can enhance your corporate social responsibility (CSR) image.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Effective sponsorship can lead to a positive ROI through increased brand awareness, new business opportunities and direct sales generated from the event.
• Customisation: Sponsors can often have the flexibility to customise their sponsorship packages to align with their specific goals and budget so, as mentioned previously, be clear on your intention and expectations for what you expect to receive from your sponsorship investment.

If the organiser of the event you’re sponsoring or aligning with hosts a large number of events, they may have very specific guidelines for their event sponsors, so don’t be afraid to ask questions if something isn’t clear or you’d like them to consider some flexibility.  Effective sponsorship requires a strategic approach and often involves clear communication with event organisers to maximise the event sponsorship benefits for your business.

In Perth and on the Gold Coast, at District32, and as Australia’s biggest business growth community, we hold over 40 ‘Connect’ events every year, as well additional workshops and seminars. When you do the math, that quickly adds up to thousands of attendees who sponsors have the potential to interact with.  Each of these events offer exclusive sponsorship opportunities.

What’s the process for sponsoring an event with District32?

District32’s events are enjoyed by a variety of local business leaders, who come together to gain business insights and develop leadership skills, while looking for new ways to accelerate their business growth. These events offer sponsors brand exposure and the opportunity to build credibility with like-minded business owners who may be looking for your services.

Sponsorship at District32 business growth events includes:

• Exclusive sponsorship – only one sponsor per event
• Brand spotlight and verbal introduction
• Promotional materials at event tables
• Pull up banners on display
• Brand logo displayed on screen
• Brand advertising in event promotional material
• Brand marketing on social media reaching over 200,000 impressions on various platforms each month
• Take home all business cards when you supply a prize for the prize draw on the day.

As you can see, event sponsorship with District32 puts your brand front and centre, seen by not just event attendees, but across all social media.   If you’d like to know more about event sponsorship reach out to Lorraine@district32.com.au or check out our sponsorship page https://www.district32.com.au/sponsor.